Mirach: A Minor Constellation

Mirach is a relatively faint constellation identified as Andromeda, a Small Magellanic cloud constellation. It is characterized by a narrow axis, making it easily detectable to the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere. Its magnitude of 2.07 indicates it is a fairly dim stellar object, situated within a comparatively distant celestial region.

While Andromeda is a well-known constellation, it’s remarkable visibility isn't due to any unusual properties of the star itself, but rather to its unique location in a region of the Milky Way galaxy. Andromeda appears to be gravitationally bounded by several others, offering a clear and distinct view through astronomical instruments and telescopic observation, often observed in the twilight hour as a minor glow.

Given its positioning relative to the Milky Way’s spiral arms and its relatively low brightness, Mirach has garnered attention as a special and somewhat subtle point of reference for astronomers. The designation of “43Bet And” further anchors the observation, creating a unique spatial marker for research purposes.

It's a known designation within astronomical studies, suggesting potential importance to long-term monitoring for catalog analysis and observation.

How to see it

Mirach has a visual magnitude of about 2.07: under a reasonably dark sky it is typically reachable with the unaided eye.

Sky position

Equatorial coordinates for Mirach: right ascension 1h 9m 44s, declination +35° 37′ 14″ (J2000), in the region of the Andromeda constellation (IAU figure And).

Andromeda — Explore by constellation

Catalog context

Mirach. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 43Bet And, HIP 5447, HD 6860, Gaia DR3 HYG-HIP-5447. In the SkyKeepsake Andromeda (And) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.

Catalog identifiers

Gaia

Gaia DR3 HYG-HIP-5447

HIP

5447

HD

6860

gaia_dr3

HYG-HIP-5447

Bayer / Flamsteed

43Bet And

Also known as

• 43Bet And
• Gaia DR3 TOP 5M HYG-HIP-5447
• Gl 53.3
• HD 6860
• HIP 5447
• HYG-HIP-5447

Observed properties

Visual magnitude

2.07